A closer look at the destruction in Atlantic Canada

Plus, how AI can help healthcare in Ontario and the race to replace John Filion in Willowdale [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Here’s the latest on the destruction of Hurricane Fiona, artificial intelligence in health care and a Toronto neighbourhood where housing is at the centre of debate. DON’T MISS Susan Sweet-Skinner/AFP via Getty images fiona's aftermath [Atlantic Canada is feeling the impact of Hurricane Fiona]( After the record-breaking storm, Port aux Basques, N.L. is seeing trees uprooted, fishing stages cleared and homes “totally wiped out.” On Saturday, police received reports that two women had been swept into the ocean. Local residents rescued one woman, but RCMP found the body of the other, a 73-year-old. In Prince Edward Island, authorities reported another death, the cause of which had not yet been determined. With weather improving since Saturday, [here’s what we know about the recovery process](. - The aftermath: One resident found someone’s family photos strewn across her lawn. “I’m holding on to it because I know it’s precious to someone,” she said. - Watch for: “The weather may have cleared, but the situation has not cleared at all,” Port aux Basques mayor Brian Button said via Facebook. “This is not a one day, we can all go back to normal. Unfortunately, this is going to take days, could take weeks, could take months in some places.” - More: A couple in Sydney, N.S., delayed their wedding by just a day — and got creative about preparations with only one working power outlet. [This couple in P.E.I proceeded with a candlelit wedding after Fiona’s chaos](. R.J. Johnston/The Star healthcare [Artificial intelligence could be the pill that health care needs]( An early warning system to flag when a patient is at risk of going to the ICU or dying, and a nurse scheduling program for the emergency department that takes 15 minutes instead of four hours. These programs are among more than 40 created by Unity Health, where artificial intelligence and machine learning are being used to improve care, Patty Winsa reports. Through another project called GEMINI, artificial intelligence is being used in 30 Ontario hospitals to measure the quality of care of general medicine wards. [Take a closer look at how AI programs are using hospital data](. - More: With the technology in its infancy, there have been a number of concerns about privacy, security and the quality of data. - Context: Unity Health includes St. Mike’s, St. Joseph’s Health Centre and Providence Healthcare. Unity’s AI department is being funded through the hospital’s charitable donations, while GEMINI is funded by the provincial government through Ontario Health. - Another angle: [Here’s the latest on unions’ fight against Bill 124]( which caps wages for certain public sector employees, including nursing. David Rider/The Star municipal elections [The housing crisis has become an election flashpoint in this Toronto neighbourhood ]( John Filion is retiring from city council and the candidates vying for his spot in Willowdale are putting homelessness, housing affordability and relentless condo construction at the centre of the debate. Notably, they’re taking different stances on a swath of green space in the ward that city council approved to be the site of “59 new permanent supportive homes for older adults and seniors who are experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness.” [David Rider goes inside what could be the city’s most competitive city council race](. - More: Candidates disagree on where the supportive homes should be built, and whether it would be safe to house 59 people in need. The executive director of the city’s housing secretariat told the Star the residents won’t pose a greater risk than other community members. - ICYMI: [Here’s why you can vote by mail in the Toronto civic election — but not online](. WHAT ELSE The pandemic began almost 1,000 days ago. [Here’s why it’s harder to define when it will end](. Canada’s Green Party was on a mission to save the planet. [With its credibility in tatters, is there any point in continuing?]( At this point in the pandemic, most Canadian post-secondary students are grappling with mental health challenges. [Here’s what can be done to help](. There are only two mayoral debates this year — and John Tory skipped the first one. [Here’s how that manipulates and suppresses public discourse](. The municipal election is one month away. [Here’s why it’s the perfect time to have a serious discussion on what’s being neglected in the city](. “Anti-India activities in Canada”? [Why India’s Canadian travel advisory was really a diplomatic shot across the bow](. A Mr. Big named “Stephanie”: [Inside an elaborate undercover operation to catch a GTA double-killer](. These two brothers haven’t spoken to each other in about 30 years. [Now they’re running for mayor of the same town](. Yes, there will be a recession 2023 — [but it won’t be as bad as you think](. I’m short on cash. [Can I dip into my RRSP to help cover my bills?]( “He’s hitting everybody!” [Witnesses captured a chaotic video of a Brampton impaired-driving arrest](. Which grocery delivery service is best? [The Star put several to the test and found a clear winner](. POV Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick [Pierre Poilievre says Justin Trudeau’s inflation relief package will hurt Canadians — but it won’t and here’s why.]( PREVIOUSLY... Dick Darrell/Toronto Star File Photo SCARBOROUGH: Children at C.H. Berner Public School play during recess in February 1972. [Take a look back at the last of the little red schoolhouses](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_146680). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. 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